melkrampas
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Let's bring it back to 2016.
Brent Faiyaz was working a dead-end job making sandwiches at his local grocery store in Maryland. With the hope of making it big one day, he knew he couldn't continue like this.
It was at this point he made the decision to move to LA and take a stab at becoming a full-time musician.
In that first year, he was featured on the Grammy-nominated 2016 single “Crew,” with fellow DMV natives GoldLink and Shy Glizzy. The traction behind this single catapulted him to the top. Making him R&B's new golden boy.
But it all began with Brent being Brent.
Here are a few lessons on how Brent packaged his unique sound for a specific audience from a product (music) & strategy perspective:
1/ Creating Your Own Box
Brent ‘doesn’t really feel the loyalty to any particular genre.’ The idea of being labelled doesn’t sit right with him. In the opening to Brent’s song, Clouded, he says “Everybody talking 'bout R&B shit, I'm just talking me shit.”
I am at a point now with this music shit where I just don’t really give a fuck about what anybody wants to hear. If I feel like making something, if I feel like saying something on the track, that’s what I am going to do — regardless of reaction. It’s only by coincidence that people have been receiving it well. I really didn’t give a fuck at all. — Brent Faiyaz
Now this is actually a really important point. When you fit the image of your product, you’ll find there are people who will resonate with you on a deeper level. These people become cult-like fans & loyal customers of the creations you put out into the world. They will be able to see themselves in you.
2/ Inspiration Alchemy
Brent has an interesting combination of inspiration for his music. It’s not necessarily that each of his inspirations are out of this world. But the assortment of influences makes for a very interesting combo that leads to a sound people haven’t heard before.
Brent lists Curtis Mayfield, Curren$y, Gil Scott-Heron & Lil Wayne as sources of inspiration. Lil Wayne meets Gil Scott-Heron makes for an exciting sound (and person for that matter).
When you start bringing different worlds together in your work, you get combinations that no one has ever thought of, and more importantly something that differentiates you from the rest of the competition.
3/ Cultural Capital
Brent's manager, Ty Baisden, speaks on cultural capital in terms of Hip-Hop & R&B but I think it's an exciting concept that we believe can apply to any field.
When growing anything, you'll do well if:
You're unique
Have a stylistic aesthetic
Have perceived potential
This makes people want to connect with you, invest in you and grow with you.
This could come in the form of fans, customers, collaborators and more.
If you asked me the one thing I'd want you to take away from this it'd be this:
You can create a following packaging yourself just like Brent did. The like-minded will follow.
It's difficult to be consistent doing anything when you're not adhering to your nature. Being yourself and creating for people just like you is the most direct path to packaging your expertise.
That's all I got for now.
If you got value from this, maybe I can entice you with my weekly newsletter on packagexpertise.com
I share case studies like this and other insights every week.
Brent Faiyaz was working a dead-end job making sandwiches at his local grocery store in Maryland. With the hope of making it big one day, he knew he couldn't continue like this.
It was at this point he made the decision to move to LA and take a stab at becoming a full-time musician.
In that first year, he was featured on the Grammy-nominated 2016 single “Crew,” with fellow DMV natives GoldLink and Shy Glizzy. The traction behind this single catapulted him to the top. Making him R&B's new golden boy.
But it all began with Brent being Brent.
Here are a few lessons on how Brent packaged his unique sound for a specific audience from a product (music) & strategy perspective:
1/ Creating Your Own Box
Brent ‘doesn’t really feel the loyalty to any particular genre.’ The idea of being labelled doesn’t sit right with him. In the opening to Brent’s song, Clouded, he says “Everybody talking 'bout R&B shit, I'm just talking me shit.”
I am at a point now with this music shit where I just don’t really give a fuck about what anybody wants to hear. If I feel like making something, if I feel like saying something on the track, that’s what I am going to do — regardless of reaction. It’s only by coincidence that people have been receiving it well. I really didn’t give a fuck at all. — Brent Faiyaz
Now this is actually a really important point. When you fit the image of your product, you’ll find there are people who will resonate with you on a deeper level. These people become cult-like fans & loyal customers of the creations you put out into the world. They will be able to see themselves in you.
2/ Inspiration Alchemy
Brent has an interesting combination of inspiration for his music. It’s not necessarily that each of his inspirations are out of this world. But the assortment of influences makes for a very interesting combo that leads to a sound people haven’t heard before.
Brent lists Curtis Mayfield, Curren$y, Gil Scott-Heron & Lil Wayne as sources of inspiration. Lil Wayne meets Gil Scott-Heron makes for an exciting sound (and person for that matter).
When you start bringing different worlds together in your work, you get combinations that no one has ever thought of, and more importantly something that differentiates you from the rest of the competition.
3/ Cultural Capital
Brent's manager, Ty Baisden, speaks on cultural capital in terms of Hip-Hop & R&B but I think it's an exciting concept that we believe can apply to any field.
When growing anything, you'll do well if:
You're unique
Have a stylistic aesthetic
Have perceived potential
This makes people want to connect with you, invest in you and grow with you.
This could come in the form of fans, customers, collaborators and more.
If you asked me the one thing I'd want you to take away from this it'd be this:
You can create a following packaging yourself just like Brent did. The like-minded will follow.
It's difficult to be consistent doing anything when you're not adhering to your nature. Being yourself and creating for people just like you is the most direct path to packaging your expertise.
That's all I got for now.
If you got value from this, maybe I can entice you with my weekly newsletter on packagexpertise.com
I share case studies like this and other insights every week.